Winter weather warnings are in place across 15 states as heavy snow of up to 4 feet and high winds are expected.
Storm warnings and advisories are in place across Maryland, Idaho, California, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York, Virginia, New Jersey, Nevada, Alaska, Montana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee.
"Powerful Storm System to Bring Cold Temperatures, High Winds, and Snow to Areas East of the Rockies," the NWS (National Weather Service) warned in a briefing.
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The most significant snow accumulations are forecast in California, where up to 4 feet of snow and high gusting winds are expected.
Across the West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada and Western Plumas
County/Lassen Park Counties, the NWS said: "Heavy snow expected for elevations above 5,500 feet. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 feet and up to 4 feet along higher peaks. Winds gusting as high as 50 mph." A winter storm warning is set for 4 p.m. Friday through 4 p.m. Tuesday, and travel will be near impossible.
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Up to 4 feet of snow and 50 mph winds are also expected in Yosemite National Park, outside of the valley.
Strong winds appear to be affecting many states this weekend.
In Grayson County, Virginia and the Avery, Madison, Mitchell, and Yancey Counties in South Carolina, 50 mph winds are also expected. These areas have winter weather advisories in place.
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On Friday, winds could gust up to 40 mph across the Northwest Randolph, Southeast Fayette, and Southeast Nicholas Counties of West Virginia, and Cambria and Somerset Counties in Pennsylvania.
In all the 15 affected states, the NWS said that travel could be hazardous as roads may be slick, and heavy snow and winds may bring down trees and power lines.
In Maryland, where heavy snow and winds as high as 45 mph are expected, the NWS said that "whiteout conditions are expected and will make travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening. Travel could be very difficult to impossible."
Conditions will also be treacherous across northeast Montana where the NWS warns of "a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain; then changing over to all snow by Saturday evening." Total snow will be between 2 and 5 inches and ice accumulations of a few hundredths of an inch.
In all areas, those who do travel are advised to keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in their vehicles in case of emergency.
If you are going outside, the NWS also said you should take care with your first few steps on stairs, sidewalks and driveways as these could be icy and slippery.
The winter conditions across the 15 states are a mix of winter storm warnings and weather advisories. Storm warnings are issued when a significant combination of hazardous winter weather is occurring or imminent. This hazardous weather is defined as "5 inches or more of snow/sleet within a 12-hour period or 7 inches or more of snow/sleet within a 24-hour period, ice accumulation that can damage power lines and a life threatening or damaging combination of snow and/or ice accumulation with wind."
In conditions where "any amount of freezing rain, or when 2 to 4 inches of snow (alone or in combination with sleet and freezing rain), is expected to cause a significant inconvenience, but not serious enough to warrant a warning," winter weather advisories are issued.
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